Ole! (Flamenco night).

Last night we headed to El Burro Blanco, (the white donkey), the Flamenco club in Nerja.

Our friend Martina has been having Flamenco dancing lessons, over the last few years-some even over Zoom , when she is back in the UK, with Belen Heredia Carmona, and last nights performance was a sort of graduation for Belen`s students.

Flamenco is closely associated with the Gitana, (gypsies) of Andalucia, and is an art form based on various folklore music traditions of southern Spain.

The music and dance has sort of become a national symbol of Spain, and it has a complicated relationship with Spains identity, but this iconic music goes much deeper than that.

It is passionate, rhythmic, tortuous, fevered, and tells a story, with much hand clapping, foot stamping and audience cheering, and we absolutely love it, the dance, the guitar, the singing, the dresses….

It was great fun last night, and Martina, ( and the other pupils) did so well. She said how hard it was to do without Belen standing, ( and dancing) in front of them, as she does in class.

It was hot and humid, and the voices of the two girls singing were amazing-powerful and emotional.

We have seen Flamenco many times, but watching last night from a different view point , showed us how difficult it is to do. As Martina`s husband Robert, pointed out, even the clapping rhythm which must be learned, is so alien to us , and there is a huge amount of counting to be done , when you are learning to dance, so well done Martina!

El Burro Blanco is definitely worth a visit, they have Flamenco shows on throughout the year, and look out for Belen`s dance group performing in Nerja ,during the various fiestas and festivities that are held on the Balcon de Europa and Plaza Espana.

Ole!